Mothers to find out baby's sex at just six-weeks pregnant

Mothers-to be can find out the sex of their baby at just six weeks by using a home test sold on the internet.

The £189 mail order kit uses a drop of a pregnant woman's blood to determine the gender of her baby.

Normally, women have to wait until they are 20 weeks into their pregnancy to find out whether they are carrying a girl or a boy.

The test's manufacturers, Surrey-based firm DNA Worldwide, say the Pink or Blue kit will give parents extra time to prepare for their new arrival.

But pro-life campaigners fear it will lead to a sharp rise in abortions if families think they are not going to have the type of child they wanted.

Britain already has one of the highest abortion rates in Europe, with more than 185,000 a year.

More than 80 per cent are performed in the first 13 weeks of pregnancy.

Michaela Aston, of the charity LIFE, said: 'This test is very dangerous. It could lead to babies being aborted simply for being the "wrong" sex.'

Julia Millington, of the Prolife Alliance, said: 'There is a real risk that some -people choose to abort babies of a certain gender.'

A similar test is already available on the NHS. However, it is only offered to women who are at high risk of having a baby with a genetic condition linked to gender, such as muscular dystrophy, which is much more common in boys than girls.

Usually, a baby's sex is revealed on an ultrasound scan halfway through pregnancy.

But some health authorities won't pass on the information for fear of 'wrong-sex' terminations.

The new kit, which capitalises the unborn baby's DNA being found in the mother's blood from six weeks' of pregnancy, will give all woman the choice to find out the sex of their baby, regardless of their genetic history.

All mothers-to-be need to do is prick a finger to give a small blood sample. They then place this on a special filter paper and send it off to a lab for testing.

Laboratory technicians determine the sex by looking for the male Y chromosome in the mother's blood.

If tests picks up the chromosome, the baby is deemed to be a boy. If they don't, the baby is said to be a girl.

Results, which the company claims are 99 per cent accurate, are returned to the mother in around six days.

DNA Worldwide, which also markets paternity tests, said the test would allow couples more time to plan for their new arrival - and stressed that anyone concerned about inherited genetic diseases should consult their GP instead.

Company director David Nicholson, said: 'This test is based on the science of foetal DNA in the bloodstream.

'Parents are excited by the pregnancy and want to know the sex of their baby.

'A lot of parents even build an extra room or redecorate one for the new baby - and they don't want to wait until their 20-week scan to find out the sex.'

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists said sex selection was only acceptable for medical reasons.

A spokesman added: 'It is to be hoped that the birth of every baby will be a special moment for the parents, regardless of whether it is a boy or a girl'

'Focus should remain firmly on the health and care of the mother and developing baby, rather than gender.'

The Family Planning Association stressed that abortions are approved on medical grounds - and not because people would rather have a son or daughter.